I am writing this because we just took an amazing vacation in Miami and had a blast with our toddler. From previous trips, my husband and I were thinking it would be a stressful one but we were happily surprised that it was seamless.
A few things to take seriously when planning a much-needed R&R out of town with your little one.
Food
Eating out multiple times during a vacation is inevitable. With a toddler though, this isn’t ideal simply because it’s super-unhealthy (for a small child especially) to eat out frequently. That said, we had to find a workaround during our 5-day stint in Miami.
What did we do? We came up with a few ideas.
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We stocked up on healthy food options at a Whole Foods near our hotel so our baby can have food that isn’t oily and from a restaurant.
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Only eat out twice (any 2 from breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner).
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When we do go to a restaurant, order a side dish and some fruit.
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A no-brainer but carry the following: baby bottle or sippy cup (depending on the age of your LO) with water or warm milk and fruits/snacks so you have a back-up plan in place if they are fussy and don’t want to eat at the restaurant.
Entertainment
Vacation takes on a new meaning when you have children. It’s tough to…
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Be sure to take your LO to age-appropriate activities. If they’re a year or under, take them to a children’s museum and let them crawl around and observe the museum art and exhibits. If they’re a toddler, take them to the pool. Our boy LOVED the hotel pool and because he thoroughly enjoyed it, we were also able to enjoy the pool.
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Try to avoid activities your child isn’t comfortable with even if they are the right age for them. We had booked a boat ride which we thought he would enjoy. Turns out, he didn’t and poor thing was crying. We immediately turned the boat around and went back to our hotel that ultimately served as his comfort zone.
Clothing & Essentials
Research the weather ahead of time. Pack protective clothing that keep you LO(s) safe from the harsh sun. For one, sunscreen— obviously. Since it’s the summer, be sure to pack that along with swimsuits and swim diapers (to be worn under your baby’s swimsuit). Getting other swim essentials like arm floaters, etc. wouldn’t hurt either!
We went to Miami this past weekend and we packed a ton of shorts and short-sleeve tops. I know a lot of this sounds like a no-brainer but you can never have enough of these since babies and toddlers may need a few changes throughout the day. Needless to say, pack diapers, diaper cream and wet wipes.
That’s all I can think of for now. Enjoy your sunny trip!
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